Levapor / Biological processes

Anaerobic pre- and after-treatment of effluent with minimal generation of sludge. High-performance nitrification and denitrification - with suspended and robust carrier-bound organisms, - for the main stream or partial streams.

Biological waste-gas treatment – for "lightening speed” treatment of contaminated gas emissions from treatment plants, composting plants and warehouses for waste in compact trickle bed reactors with LEVAPOR for the protection of staff and local residents.

Biological waste-gas treatment – for "lightening speed” treatment of polluted waste-gas emissions from treatment plants, composting plants and waste warehouses compact trickle-bed reactors with LEVAPOR for the protection of staff and local residents.

Among our successful, tried and tested “special tools" are

Highly active special organisms (biocatalysts - patented), adapted to tackle the specific problem which operate far more efficiently and quickly than conventional biosludges.

Porous, absorbing LEVAPOR carriers for the IMMOBILISATION of special organisms.

Many years’ experience in the development and optimisation of bioprocesses

Our innovative, compact and cost-effective solutions can be configured for the

Improvement and expansion of existing plants and · Construction of new plants.

Levapor - Carriers

LEVAPOR: adsorbing, porous carriers for the immobilisation of biomass

The biological treatment of some types of effluent, particularly from industry, can often be problematical, because

The biodegradation of contaminants is the result of ”microbial team work“ by special organisms, whereby

Such “specialists” tend not to form fast settling flakes, which

Often leads to their being washed out of the reactor, which

Substantially diminishes the degradation performance and stability of the bioprocess

An efficient retention of organisms in the bioreactor avoids such undesirable effects. Among the most efficient methods for the maintenance and improvement of the reactor performance is e.g. the IMMOBILISATION of the BIOMASS.

This involves the “retention” of microbial cells on firm surfaces, together with the formation of biofilms.

This leads to an increase in

the degradation performance and process stability, through

enhanced stability of the organisms despite the impact of fluctuating temperatures, pH-values and inhibitors, as well as

Lower sludge production. The success of the IMMOBILISATION of microorganisms essentially depends upon the characteristics of the so-called carrier material.

“Ideal” Carrier Properties

Responsible for

1. Rapid wettability

Homogenous medium

2. Effective water-binding

Maintenance of bioactivity

3. Fast colonisation

Immediate application

4. Binding of inhibitors

Avoidance of degradation inhibitors

5. Internal porosity

Enhanced protection of the biofilm

6. Good mass transfer

Higher reaction velocity

7. Good fluidisation properties

Lower energy consumption,

higher mass transfer

All these requirements are met by LEVAPOR, - An adsorbing (contains up to 50 wt.% activated carbon) and - porous carrier material, a synthetic foam coated with activated carbon

Fig 1. LEVAPOR, porous, adsorbing carrier material (REM photo)

The advantage of deploying LEVAPOR lies in its ideal characteristics, which ensure that

The surfaces of the carrier material are colonised by the key microorganisms within one of two hours,

Enabling them to better resist adverse external influences,

The degradation-inhibiting substances are bound and rendered harmless,

Bioprocesses attain their maximum efficiency more rapidly and can remain stable.

The carrier is also deployed – among other applications – in the following biological degradation processes: for example, in the case of:

Nitrification

Poorly degradable substances

Inhibitory pollutants

Unfavourable sludge properties

LEVAPOR can be applied in

Fluidised bed reactors, with 10 to 15 vol.% loading

Fixed bed, as well as “expanded bed“ - reactors with 20 to 70 vol.% loading

Technical data of LEVAPOR

Form:

Cuboids

Würfel

Standard dimensions (mm ):

14x14x7 bis 20x22x8

14 x 14 x 14

Block density (kg/m³):

ca.50

75 - 100

Bulk weight (kg/m³)

ca. 20

40 - 50

Material density (g/cm³ )

1,04-1,1

-

Loading

10-15 vol. %

> 50 %

Ideal reactor type

Fluidised bed

Fixed bed

Excess sludge removal

Aeration sufficient

Aeration

Settling velocity

-

a) Without biomass colonisation, W50 (m/h)

ca. 50

-

b) With biomass colonisation, W50 (m/h)

ca. 70

-

Cultivated special cultures for biodegradation

The biodegradation of pollutants, which among other things, also contains substituted organic compounds, takes place - analogously with chemical synthesis - in several stages and involves the “cooperation” of several different types of microorganisms (mixed culture). At the same time, each strain is responsible for the conversion of specific molecules and substitutes. The absence of key strains can leads to only partial degradation or even to an interruption in the degradation process, particularly when degradation products are created during such a multistage reaction, which can inhibit the other strains. If the strains responsible for the individual degradation stages and their properties are known, it is possible to deliberately create, cultivate and to feed either continually or in batches, into the bioreactor a defined mixed culture for the biodegradation of a specific compound and its derivatives.

This method is based on the

Cultivation and permanent availability of

Mixed cultures, containing important, and

known organisms in the microbial, flocculent sludge or bioreactor.

Using this process, “problematic” chemicals and products were successfully degraded in various technical and pilot plants designed by us.

Fig. 4: Treatment plant with the cultivation and feeding of microorganisms.

The advantages of our carrier material LEVAPOR

The carrier medium LEVAPOR is a new technology offered exclusively by Biocons (patent).